New London streets reopen following oil spill

New London — Streets in the downtown area have reopened after being closed for most of the day during clean-up of a hydraulic oil trail left by a garbage truck.

Shortly after 9:30 a.m., a hydraulic line blew on a garbage truck owned by All Waste and leaked about 65 gallons, mostly around the post office and City Hall, according to state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection spokesman Dwayne Gardner.

New London Fire Battalion Chief Marc Melanson said the trail extended through State, Masonic, Tilley, Truman and Bank streets.

State Street between Eugene O'Neill Drive and Union Street were closed, along with Masonic Street between Eugene O'Neill Drive and Union Street. Police said other streets along the truck's route also had some visible oil slicks.

The All Waste garbage truck was found on Boston Post Road in Waterford. Waterford police said that a representative from the company would take care of the clean-up costs.

Clean-up crews covered the hydraulic oil with an absorbent material and later swept it up. Gardner said he did not expect there would be any environmental impact.